Jorden Linge, 12, with his mom Stephanie Galford and family friend Bridgette Venice makes an appearance at a fundraiser in Keene Sunday for his recovery. (Meghan Pierce)

Boy seriously injured in accident makes appearance at fundraiser

MEGHAN PIERCE Union Leader Correspondent

KEENE — Surrounded by friends and family, 12-year-old Jorden Linge made an appearance at a fundraiser to help his recovery at the People’s Bank on West Street Sunday.

Jorden was seriously injured July 18 when the bicycle he was riding west across Washington Street was hit by a truck, which was heading south on Washington Street.

He was taken to Cheshire Medical Center first, then was flown by helicopter to UMass Medical Center in Worcester, Mass., where he was treated for a broken leg, bruised lung and a fractured skull.

He was in a medically-induced coma for about a week after the accident, his mother, Stephanie Galford said Sunday.

It was a typical summer bike ride, about two minutes from Jorden’s home, his mother said. She was at work when she was notified of the crash. Thankfully, a family friend saw the crash and was able to identify Jorden for police, she said.

“It’s been mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting,” she said of the past two weeks. “He’s come a long way in the past week or two.”

On Thursday, he was released to a rehabilitation center closer to home, she said, where he is receiving physical, occupational and speech therapy.

Jorden has been recovering quickly, but he suffered a brain injury in the accident and the extent of the injury is unknown right now, his mother said. His doctors said he is most likely to have learning disabilities, she said.

“They are hopeful because of how far he has come already,” she said, but added, “the recovery is going to be a long journey.”

Family friend Bridgette Venice, who has been heading up fundraising efforts, said a fund for Jorden was started by friends within hours of the accident.

Local businesses have helped with donations and there has been an outpouring of support from the Fuller Elementary School community, which Jorden attended from kindergarten through sixth grade.

Jorden will be starting seventh grade at Keene Middle School this fall.

Within the first hour of the bake sale and car wash on Sunday the fundraiser had already raised $600, Venice said.

A GoFundMe page has raised more than $2,400 for Jorden, she said.

On Sunday, Jorden was presented with a new bicycle from the Colby Donovan Memorial Fund.

The fund was set up by the parents of a 13-year-old Brattleboro, Vt., boy who committed suicide in January.

Jorden was chosen to be the first beneficiary of the new fund, Venice said, and Colby’s parents brought the bicycle to Keene that morning.

Galford said she is grateful for the community support.

“It’s overwhelming. I could have never imagined all the support we’ve gotten through this whole thing,” she said.

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